Dirigible headlight.



J. M. ERVIN.

DIRIGIBLE HEADLIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8. 1915. RENEWED JUNE 17, l9l6.

f w Patented Jan. 23, 7-

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

elvwe/wtoz dame; matbfiw EPvip as 4 J N J. 'M. ERVIN.

DIRIGIBLE HEADLIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.8.19I5. RENEWED JUNE I7. 1916.

23, 1917. 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Patented Jan.

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ammo dmyeg Matbew Elwin nlO 4 3 m3 lift JAMES MATHEW ERVIN, FQNAWAY,'MICHIGAN.

IDIEIGIBLE HEADLIGHT.

narrates.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented d an. 23, llhl't.

application filed tlctober t, 1915, Serial No. 2L713. Renewed Mine 17,1916. werlallto. 1%,237.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JAMns MATHEW Envm, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Onaway, in the county of Presque lsle and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments inDirigible Headlights, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to automobile headlights, and more particularlyto that class of head-lights which are pivoted or swiveled and adaptedto be shifted, individually or collectively, by the steering mechanismof an automobile, and automatic means released by said mechanism,whereby rays of light are cast on to the path to he traveled by theautomobile, such lamps facilitating the operation of an automobile atnight, especially upon a sinuous road and at the intersection ofstreets.

My invention aims to provide slmple and efi'ective means, in a manner ashereinafter set forth, for simultaneously or individually.

shifting the lamps, lanterns, or headlights, of the Well known type ofFord automobile, although my invention is applicable to other types ofautomobile by slight modifications in the mounting of the headlights orthe connections with the steering mechanism.

My invention further aimsto provide a head-light turning mechanism forautomobiles which may be installed to permit of one head-light beingactuated by steering mechanism in a desired direction while the otherheadlight remains stationary or vice versa, or the mechanism may beinstalled whereby the headlights will be simultaneously turned in thesame direction. In either instance, the mechanism includes means fornormally maintaining the head-lights straight ahead, and also means forpreventing vibrations of an automobile from accldentally shifting thehead-lights from the straight ahead position;

My invention further aims to provide dirigible head-lights wherein theparts are constructed with a view of reducing the cost of manufactureand at the same time retain the features by which safety, durability,simplicity and ease of, assembling are secured, and with such endsinview, my invention resides inthe novel construction, combination andarrangement of parts to be hereinafter speclfically described and thenclaimed.

Reference will now be had to the draw-' mechanism with the head-lightremoved;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the head-light shifting mechanism; Fig. iis a longitudinal sectional view of one of the casings containingshifting mechanism; Fig. 5 is a plan of the same with the cover of thecasing removed; Fig. 6 is an-inverted view of a connectlng rod member;Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of the same; Figs. 8 and 9 are diagrammaticviews of headlights and the'actuating mechanism thereof, and Fig. 10 isan elevation of a modified form of bracket.

In the drawings, 1 denotes the front axle of an automobile as havingsteering wheel knuckles 2 connected by a rod-3 adapted to be shifted inthe ordinary and well known manner by the steering mechanism of theautomobile. The front axle 1 has a spring 4: supporting a front endbearing 5 provided With the usual head-light or lamp brackets 6, and lluse the same brackets for supporting the head-light shifting mechanism.

In Fig. 4, 7 denotes the barrel of one of the brackets 6 and engagingthe ends of said barrel are the apertured ends of a yoke 8 carried bythe cover f a casin 10. The ends of the yoke 8 are retained in engagement with the barrel 7 by a pin 11 extending through the barrel andtapped into the bar rel 9.

To prevent the yoke 8 from'swinging in ahorizontal plane relative to thebarrel 7 of the bracket 6, said yoke has-a set screw 12 10 is somewhatoval in plan and has aforward semi-circular extension 13, which with thebody of the casing has an upstanding flange or wall 14 upon which thecover 9 is placed, said upstanding'flange or well being cut away at therear end of the casing to provide clearance for the apertured boss'vvhich can be tightened against the barrel 7 to correctly position. thecasing 10 and its cover relative to saidbracket. The casing liftenlargement 17 carried by'the bottom of the casing. The dependingenlargement 17 is formed with an opening 18 having the walls thereofscrewthreaded, said opening vertically alining with the aperture of theboss nular recess 21 for a coiled retractile spring 22' having one endthereof anchored in the bottom of the boss 15 and the opposite endthereof anchored in the bottom of the annular recess 21. i

The boss 15 of the operating lever 16 is formedwith a sector shaped web23 having an extension 24 in alinement with the operating lever 16, andsaid extension is provided with a vertically disposed pin 25 for an antifrictional roller 26. The roller 26 is located within the slot orbifurcation 27 of a crank 28 loosely mounted upon the upper end of a pin29 seated in another enlargement 30 forming part of the bottom of thecasing 10, and by reference to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the bottomof the casing is shaped to afford a bearing and support for the crankand permit of the bifurcated or slotted end thereof being superposedrelative to web 23 and the extension thereof.

The crank 28 is formed with 'a segment rack 31 meshing with a toothedportion 32 of a socket member 33, journaled in vertically aliningbearings 34 forming part of the casing 10 and the cover 9 thereof. Thesocket member 33 is provided with a tapering or conical socket 35 forthe lower tapering end or stem 36 of a head-light or lantern bracket 37,said bracket being of the conventional form employed for supporting ahead-light or lantern 38. The bracket 37 is fixed relative to the socketmember 33, by a nut 39 or similar fastening means 'mounted upon thelower end .or stem of the bracket.

The operating lever 16 is connected by a chain 40 or other flexibleconnection to the upper end of a connecting rod member 41 mounted in anupright position on the connecting rod 3 of the steering mechanism oftheautomobile. The manner of connecting the member to said rod is bestshown in Fig. 6, where it will be observed that said member has a hookshaped member 42 embracing a portion of the rod, a lug 43, and a setscrew 44 in said lug engaging the connecting rod 3 and cooperating withthe hook shaped end 42 of the member in clamping said member in anupright position upon the connecting rod.

Before describing the operation of the mechanism by aid of Figs. 8 and9, I desire to call attention to the springs 22. These springs arealways under tension .to move the operating levers 16 in one directionor the other and the flexible connections 40 are always taut. Oneconnection may place a spring under greater tension while the otherconnection releases the tension of another spring or vice versa.

Assuming that the automobile is steered to the left by moving thesteering rod 3, and observing such movement in connection with Figs. 2and 8, then the mechanism of the head-light generally designated B atthe right hand side of the automobile is actuated by reason of the-chainor flexible connection 2O shifting the operating lever 16, and themechanism of the head-light generally designated A at the left hand sideof the automobile is actuated byreason of the chain or flexibleconnection 20 becoming slack, figuratively speaking, allowing the spring22 to shift the headlight A in the same direction as headlight B. Vhenthe operating lever -16 of the mechanism of head-light B is shifted in alateral plane, the anti-frictional roller 26 riding in the bi= furcationor slot 27 in the crank 28 turns said crank upon the pivot pin 29 and arotary movement is imparted to the socket member 33 suflicient to turnthe head-light bracket 37 in a direction that would cause the headlightB to cast rays of light to the right and on the path of the automobile.

When moving the operating lever 16, the spring 22 is placed underadditional tension and restores the operating lever 16 to normalposition, as the automobile assumes a straight line of travel orapproximately so.

During the direct operation of the headlight B by the steeringmechanism, the headlight A is actuated by the tension of the spring 22,which is released by the flexible connection 20, and said headlight isrestored to normal position by the connection again placing the springunder its normal tension.

To revent the operating lever 16 from vibrating during the operation ofan automobile, and to temporarily hold said lever in a shifted position,the bottom of the easing 10 is provided with another enlargement 45housing a spring pressed detent 46 adapted to engage in notches 47 inthe bottom side of the sector shaped web 23 of the operatin lever, anotch being adjacent each end of t e web and intermediate the endsthereof, whereby the detent can hold the operating lever in normalposition or when shifted to the right or left.

The bottom of the casing 10 is provided with additional enlargements 48to accommodate a stop pin 49 employed for limiting the movement of thecrank 28 when it is desired to hold a head-light in a straight aheadposition, while another head-light is moved. For instance with pins 49in the positions shown in Fig. 9, the springs 22 through the medium ofthe webs 23 hold the cranks 28 against the pins, thus preventing thecranks 28 from swinging in certain directions. The crank 28, ofhead-light B is free to swing to the left when the light is swung to theright, but as the crank 28 of the head-light A is held by the pin 49against such movement by the released spring, then the head-lightremains in a straight ahead position. In the same manner the head-lightA can be swung to the left, while the head-light B is held inactive. Theadvantage gained by this arrangement is apparent at the intersection ofstreets since the straight ahead light will show as a signal while theother light seeks the lane of travel into which the automobile is turninl is herein'described and illustrated, the head-light mechanism has beendesigned for the permanent brackets of Ford automobiles, but should itbe desired to use the head-light mechanism in connection with othertypes of automobiles, then a side frame or suitable support 50, as shownin Fig. 10 can be provided with a bracket 51 having a barrel 52 similarto the barrel 7 of the bracket 6. Y

What ll claim is 1. The combination with a rotatable headlight, of acrank for moving said headlight, a lever adapted to move said crank, aspring adapted to move said lever in one direction, means for movingsaid le er in an opposite direction against the action of said springwhereby said spring restores said lever to normal position, and meansengaging said lever to hold said lever, said crank and said headlightsin normal position.

2. The combinationwith a rotatable headlight, of a crank for moving saidheadlight, a lever adapted to move said crank, a spring held undertension by said lever and adapted to move said lever in one direction,means connected to said lever holding said lever against the action ofsaid spring and adapted to move said lever in an opposite direction tothat of said spring and thereby place said spring underadditional'tension whereby said spring restoressaid lever to normalposition and remains under suflic'ient tension to move said lever in anopposite direction to that of said means.

3. The combination with a rotatable headlight, of a crank for movingsaid headlight, a lever having a rolling action against said crankadapted to move said crank, a spring held under tension by said leverand adapted to move said lever in one direction, means for moving saidlever in an opposite direction against the action of the spring'wherebysaid spring restores said lever to normal position, means engaging saidlever to hold said lever, said crank, said headlight in normal position,and means adapted for mounting against said crank whereby said crank canonly be moved in one direction.

4:. The combination with a headlight, of a casing, a socket member insaid casing supporting said headlight, a crank in said casing for movingsaid socket member, a lever extending into said casing for moving saidcrank, and means adapted to be mounted in said casing to limit themovement of said crank in one direction 5. The combination with avehicle having headlight brackets, and a steering mechanism, of casingssupported by said brackets, rotatable socket members having toothedportions in said casings, headlights supported by said members, cranksin said casings having segment racks engaging the toothed portions ofsaid members for moving said members, operating levers extending intosaid casings and having a rolling action against said cranks for movingsaid cranks, connections between each lever and said steering mechanismadapted to move either

